Winningest active high school football coach in each state

MaxPreps presents the active 11-man coach with the most wins from each state, including Curtis with 582 wins all the way to David DeVaughn of Eielson (Alaska) with 128 wins, and all points in between.

Coaches are not necessarily the active wins leader "within" the state. Some coaches, such as Tommy Knotts of Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.), have accrued their wins in more than one state, however they are the active coach in that state with the most wins.

Information on 11-man coaches with over 300 wins provided by Steven Floyd, a high school football historian from Calallen, Texas. Other coaches determined through various newspaper accounts and coaching association websites.

Active Coaches with Most Wins in Each State
Alabama
335 — Buddy Anderson, Vestavia Hills
Note: The all-time winningest coach in Alabama, Anderson is also the longest tenured at 41 years — all at Vestavia Hills.

Alaska
128 — David DeVaughn, Eielson (Eielson AFB)
Note: He needs 22 wins to tie his former coach, and Eielson coaching legend, Buck Nystrom for No. 2 on the state's all-time coaching wins list.

Arizona
297 — Richard Taylor, Centennial (Peoria)
Note: While some sources had Taylor winning his 300th game last year, our source Steven Floyd, a high school football coaching historian, has Taylor with 297 wins.

Arkansas
307 — Rick Jones, Greenwood
Note: While Jones spent over 25 years coaching in Oklahoma, he's the only coach in Arkansas with over 300 wins, regardless of what state previously coached.

California
318 — Lou Farrar, Charter Oak (Covina)
Note: Farrar is eight wins ahead of Kevin Rooney of Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) for the active lead in California. Both coaches started the same year, 1980. Mater Dei's Bruce Rollinson is closing ground with 300 wins.

Colorado
332 — Scott Yates, Kent Denver (Englewood)
Note: The Hall of Famer has led Kent Denver since 1980, winning three state titles.

Connecticut
349 — Lou Marinelli, New Canaan
Note: Marinelli has 19 of his wins in New York and needs three wins to pass Ed McCarthy and become the all-time leader within the state.

Delaware
313 — Bob Tattersall, Wilmington Friends
Note: Tattersall returns to the sideline this year after sitting out 2018 due to health reasons. Son Bob Tattersall Jr. filled in while his father was on the mend.

Florida
433 — Bill Castle, Lakeland
Note: Has won seven state championships and a pair of national titles in his 43 seasons, all at Lakeland.

Georgia
375 — Alan Chadwick, Marist (Atlanta)
Note: Second place on the all-time list in Georgia, 102 wins behind all-time leader Larry Campbell of Lincoln County.

Hawaii
196 — Wendell Look, 'Iolani (Honolulu)
Note: Can become just the second coach in state history, the other being Cal Lee of St. Louis, with over 200 career wins.
Idaho
220 — Bill Brock, Middleton
Note: While coaching records in Idaho are hard to come by, Brock has been listed as the state's active leader by the Idaho Statesman at the 5A level.

Illinois
376 — Ken Leonard, Sacred Heart-Griffin (Springfield)
Note: Moved into the No. 1 spot on the all-time wins list in Illinois last year, passing Frank Lenti (372).

Indiana
418 — Larry "Bud" Wright, Sheridan
Note: In his 54th year of coaching, 53 of them at Sheridan where he has won eight state championships.

Iowa
421 — Jerry Pezzetti, Ankeny Centennial
Note: One of only three states, Wisconsin and Louisiana are the others, with two active coaches over 400 wins, Pezzetti leads Harlan's Curt Bladt 421 to 415.

Kansas
422 — C.J. Hamilton, Silver Lake
Note: The all-time leader in coaching wins in Kansas by a long shot, leading No. 2 Chuck Smith by 76 wins.

Kentucky
538 — Phillip Haywood, Belfry
Note: The all-time winningest coach in Kentucky, Haywood has won six state championships in his 44 years.
Note: In his 50th year at the school, Curtis has won 27 state championships — the most of any high school coach in the nation.

Maine
141 — Kevin Cooper, Bonny Eagle (Standish)
Note: Bonny Eagle has been a force since Cooper took over 21 years ago, winning six state championships.

Maryland
235 — Bob Knox, Decatur (Berlin)
Note: After taking the 2016 season off due to health concerns, Knox has been back at it the past two seasons, playing on the football field at Decatur named after him.

Massachusetts
362 — Ken LaChapelle, Northbridge (Whitinsville)
Note: The all-time winningest coach in the state, LaChapelle has also won 10 state championships.

Michigan
356 — Herb Brogan, Lumen Christi Catholic (Jackson)
Note: With John Herrington's retirement last year, Brogan becomes the winningest active coach with 356 wins. He's won nine state titles.

Minnesota
387 — Ron Stolski, Brainerd
Note: Few coaches in the nation have coached longer than Stolski, who is entering his 57th year at Brainerd.

Mississippi
400 — Lea "Bill" Hurst, Centreville Academy (Centreville)
Note: Hurst leads Ricky Black of Jackson Prep for the all-time lead in the state by 17 wins. Both Hurst and Black started in 1975, retired for a few years and then began coaching against in 1997.

Missouri
381 — Tony Severino, Rockhurst (Kansas City)
Note: Severino won 54 games in Kansas, but his 327 wins in Missouri ranks third all-time in the state.
Montana
210 — Jim Stanton, Billings Central Catholic
Note: Stanton went over 200 wins in early 2018 to become the 13th coach in state history to reach the milestone.

Nebraska
360 — Jeff Bellar, Norfolk Catholic, 360
Note: The all-time leader in the state, Bellar has won nine state championships at Norfolk Catholic.

Nevada
164 — Ernie Howren, Bishop Manogue (Reno)
Note: After many championship seasons at Reed (Sparks), Howren moved to Bishop Manogue two years ago and led the team to the state championship game last year.

New Hampshire
312 — Brian O'Reilly, Pinkerton (Derry)
Note: Has won 11 state championships and ranks No. 2 on the state's all-time wins list behind Charles Lenahan's 355 wins.

New Jersey
334 — Don Smolyn, Lenape Valley (Stanhope)
Note: In his 47th season, Smolyn can move up to No. 4 on the state's all-time win list with five victories in 2019.

New Mexico
152 — Joey Fernandez, St. Michael's (Santa Fe)
Note: According to the New Mexico Football Coaches Association, Fernandez is the only active coach with over 150 career wins.

New York
348 — Tony DeMatteo, Somers (Lincolndale)
Note: In his 50th season, DeMatteo needs 17 more wins to become the state's all-time leader, passing Howie Vogts (364).

North Carolina
404 — David Gentry, Murphy
Note: Although he has more wins than any coach currently coaching in North Carolina, Gentry needs 20 wins to pass the state's all-time leader Jack Holley (400 wins).
North Dakota
258 — Dan Smrekar, St. Mary's Central (Bismarck)
Note: Entering his 42nd season, Smrekar will be coaching on the sidelines of the home field which was recently named in his honor.

Ohio
392 — Jim France, Manchester (Akron)

Oklahoma
360 — Mike Snyder, Seminole
Note: Snyder became the state's all-time wins leader in 2017, passing Bruce Hendrickson (350 wins).

Oregon
313 — Ken Potter, Jesuit (Portland)
Note: Moved into third place in state history and his 41 wins behind all-time leader Dewey Sullivan.

Pennsylvania
428 — Jim Roth, Southern Columbia Area (Catawissa)
Note: In his 35th year of coaching, Roth is better than ever as he has won 32 straight games heading into 2019 and has one of the top small school programs in the nation.

Rhode Island
215 — Bob Murray, Tiverton
Note: With over 35 years at Tiverton, Murray is one of only a few head coaches in state history with over 200 wins.

South Carolina
416 — Tommy Knotts, Dutch Fork (Irmo)
Note: While many of Knotts' wins took place in North Carolina while he was at Independence, he currently has more wins in South Carolina, regardless of where the wins took place.

South Dakota
289 — Kim Nelson, Roosevelt (Sioux Falls)
Note: Currently tied for the No. 1 all-time spot, according to the South Dakota High School Coaching Association, Nelson could become the state's first 300-game winner.

Tennessee
425 — Gary Rankin, Alcoa
Note: Few coaches in the nation have more state titles than Rankin, who has won 14 crowns in 37 years.

Texas
458 — Phil Danaher, Calallen (Corpus Christi)
Note: Ranks as the all-time leader in Texas and could move up to as high as No. 6 on the all-time list this year.

Utah
229 — John Colosimo, Juan Diego Catholic (Draper)
Note: Currently at No. 4 on the state's all-time list, Colosimo could move up to No. 2 with a nine-win season.

Vermont
176 — Mike Norman, Rutland
Note: Norman has made Rutland a perennial championship team in Division 1 with eight state championships.

Virginia
486 — Mike Smith, Hampton
Note: Smith has won a pair of national titles with the Crabbers and ranks No. 3 on the all-time list for coaching wins.

Washington
335 — Monte Kohler, O'Dea (Seattle)
Note: Kohler has edged ahead of Bob Ames of Meridian for the current state lead. They are both chasing all-time leader Sid Otton with 394 wins.

West Virginia
290 — Dave Walker, Martinsburg
Note: Walker is the all-time coaching leader in the state and has won 42 straight games heading into the 2019 season.

Wisconsin
465 — Robert Hyland, St. Mary's Springs (Fond du Lac)
Note: Has won 16 state titles in Wisconsin, giving him the most state titles of any school, let alone any other coach in the state.

Wyoming
324 — Todd Dayton, Cokeville
Note: The only coach in Wyoming with over 300 wins, Dayton has 20 state championships on his resume.